Hugo gerike



(No Model.)

H. GERIKE. BOTTLE STOPPER ATTACHMENT.

No. 470,187; Patented Mar. 8,1892.

- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HUGO GERIKE, OF KLEIN-SOHOENEBEOK, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO FRANZ GERIKE, OFSAME PLACE.

BOTTLE-STOPPER ATTACH ENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 470,187, dated March 8,1892.

Lpplication filed October 26,1891. Serial No.409,'787. (No model.)Patentedin Germany January 1, 1891 No. 59,885, and in France March '7,1891,110. 211,962.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HUGO GERIKE, a subject of the Emperor of Germany,residing at Klein Schoenebeck, Niederbarnim, in the Kingdom of Prussia,Germany, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement inBottle-Stopper Attachments, of which the following is a specification.

The invention is set forth in a German patent to me, dated January 1,1891, No. 59,885, and French patent, dated March 7, 1891, No. 211,962.

, The invention applies to that class of bottle-stopping devices inwhich the stopper is carried in a metal loop, which is moved by means ofa lever pivoted to the neck of the bottle, so that by turning the leverforcibly downward the stopper is pressed tightly into or upon thebottle-mouth and by turning it upward it is relaxed. I provide a stop onthe bottle-neck, which by limiting the movement of the loop in onedirection serves usefully in determining the position of the stopper inthe opening, and especially in the closing, movement. I provide anotherstop, which by limiting the motion of the lever and loop relatively toeach other still further facilitates the closing action. I can effectthe stopping of the bottle by acting on the lever alone, the partscommunicating the proper movement first to bring the stopper up intoline and then to ur e it downward into the required firm engagement withthe bottle-mouth.

The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification, andrepresent what I consider the best means of carrying out the invention.

Figure 1 is a side elevation showing the neck of a bottle with aspheroidal bottle-stopper and my attachment in position for working. Thestrong lines show the stopper tightly engaged. The dotted lines show it1n the act of being either tightened or released. Fig. 2 is a centralvertical section, partly in elevation, at right angles to the view inFig. 1. Fig.

3 is a corresponding horizontal section. Fig. 4 is a side elevationcorresponding to Fig. 1, but showing the bottle open. The stronglinesshow the parts with the stopper in its elevated position in linewith the bottlemouth. The dotted lines show all the parts tilted overout of the way, leaving the mouth clear. The remaining figures showmodifica tions. Fig. 5 is a central vertical section. Figs. 6 and 6 areside elevations showing similar constructions, but with the parts indifferent positions. Fig.7 is a central vertical section. Fig. 8 is acorresponding elevation. Figs. 9 and 10 show similar constructions, butin different conditions. Fig. 11 is a horizontal section through aportion of Fig. 10.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all thefigures where they appear.

a is the stopper of soft vulcanized rubber or other suitable material.(Shown as having a hemispherical base and matched in thecorrespondingly-concaved mouth of the bottle M.) It is secured by ascrew 5 to a loop b, which extends down on each side of the bottle-mouthand connects by pivots c to a lever c, properly formed to embrace thebottle-neck and connected thereto by pivots 0 (Shown as applied incorresponding holes formed in the glass.) When the lever c is depressedinto the position shown in strong lines in Figs. 1,

2, and 3, it draws downward, by means of the loop I), on the stopper aand presses it tightly into its properly fitted seat in the bottlemouth.NVhen the lever is raised into the po sition shown in dotted lines inFig. 1, it relaxes the pull on the loop b and commences to raise thestopper out of the mouth of the bottle. When the lever is raised intothe position shown in strong lines in Fig. 4, the stopper is liftedentirely out of the bottlemouth, and the lever 0 being turned over to'theright the loop and the stopper can go with it, and on being droppeddown into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4: the

bottle-mouth is open and is ready to servein any way desired.

To close the bottle-mouth, all the parts must be raised from theposition shown in dotted lines into the position shown in strong linesin Fig. 4. Then holding the stopper by any means in the position shownin strong lines and depressing the lever a strongly the stopper will bedrawn tightly down into its seat and the bottle will be again closed, asshown in strong lines in Fig. 1. I facilitate the raising of the partsin the correct relative posi- 5 tion by means of an arm 11 011 the loopI), and I provide for arresting the loop in the correct position withthe stopper in line with the hottle-mouth, and, as the motion of thelever c is continued further, guiding the stopper cor- IO rectly intoits seat. This last (the arresting of the loop) is effected by aninternal projection b on the inner face of the loop I). I form theadjacent side of the bottle-mouth with a vertical offset M, againstwhich the 15 projection 11 strikes when the stopper is in the correctposition and forbids the stopper being carried too far and insures itsarrest in the line of the bottle-mouth. As the lever c is depressed thisprojection b sliding downward on the vertical offset M, guides thestopper into its seat. hen the lever is again raised and the stopper isagain sufficiently lifted to clear the mouth of the bot tie, the wholemay again be thrown over into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig.4.

The arm or projection b is soldered or otherwise attached to the loopI). IVhen the loop is formed, as shown, of sheet 1netal,it maybe madeintegral therewith by properly-formed 0 dies. It extendsforwardasui'ficient distance, and is then bent sharply inward toward thebottle, so as to engage reliably with thelever c and limit the motionsof the loop and lever relatively to each other. If the pivots which 3 5connect the lever c and the loop I) are a little stiff, these partsmaintain their relative positions in the first part of the closingmotion, the elevation of the stopper into the closing position, and thearresting of the motion of 40 the loop I) with the stopper. Oncontinuing the motion of the lever c with sufficient force to overcomethe stiffness of the joint the depression of the stopper is successfullyeffected. In the absence of such stiifness the internal projection 11011 the loop 11 serves an important function. It is struck by theleverc, and the depression of thelattercompels the lifting of the loop andstopper. If the parts are so proportioned that the stopper cannot bythis means he brought into its correct position for closing (that shownin Fig. 4) it will be raised partially into that position and will bythat movement call the attention of the operator to the necessity ofliftin git properly into place, which he can readily do by again liftingthe lever c to slacken the parts and then raising the stopper and itsloop.by the fingers into the correct position, and finally againdepressing the lever c. The members are so proportioned as to permit thejoint by which the loop I) is connected to the lever c on each side tobe moved a little past the perpendicular to prevent any accidentalloosening of the parts in storage or transporta- 6 5 tion of the bottle.

The stopper in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and l is shown as backed or topped with aplane disk Z) of metal.

Fig. 5 shows a modification in which the metal top is extended down alittle on the stopper. is extended down may in this form hold the partsreliably together and avoid the necessity for the screws.

Fig. 6 shows the stop formed by a projection 0 on the bottle-month and aslot or channel in the loop. The strong lines show the parts in theposition for securing the mouth and the dotted lines in the position tohold the stopper in the detached and elevated position. I consider theprojection an equivalent to the offset in the other figures.

Fig. 6 shows the same device in the partially-closed position. The leverin this fig,- ure has been turned half-way down and the stopper isengaged in the bottle-mouth, butis not yet drawn down so far as to closethe bot tle tightly.

Figs. '7 and 8 show a modification in the means for engaging the loopwith the stopper, the loop being inserted in a rectangular holeextending across the upper part of the stopper. Fig. 7 is a verticalsection, and Fig. 8 a side elevation.

Figs. 9, 10, and 11 show another n1odification. In this the forms of theparts are considerably modified, and a thumb-piece is provided, whichallows the parts to be operated for opening or closing the month byacting on this thumb-piece alone. This thumb-piece needs only to beprovided on one side of the bottle. If this is turned in the directionof the arrow, the bottle will be opened. If it is turned in the oppositedirection, the bottle will be closed again.

In the forms of the invention shown in Figs. 9 to 11 the offset M doesnot extend down far on the bottle-neck. It is confined to a shallow rimat the immediate mouth of the bottle. The invention can be workedsuccessfully with this form of the recess in the bottle and of the stopformed thereby.

The offset may be on both sides of the bottle-neck or only on one side.It may be struck by an arm b extending inward from the loop I), or theloop itself may be formed so as to strike the offset. I have describedthe loop I) as rigidly connected to the stopper a; but there may be, ifpreferred, a looseness in the connection.

Figs. 7, 8, 9, and 10 show rectangular cavities in the stopper,receiving corresponding but smaller ends of the loop. Liberty for aslight movement of one relatively to the other may be of advantage inallowing the stopper to adapt itself to its seat.

Other forms of stopper than the spherical base shown may be employed. Ican use the ordinary metal or glass stopper with rubber rings fittedthereon adapted to press on and fit tightly to the mouth of the bottle.

I claim as my invention-- The indentations in the metal which ICC videdwith an offset M, the stopper a, at-

tached loop I), and lever 0, connected substantially as described, theprojection b loosely connecting the said lever and loop, so that theelevating of the loop may be commenced by the depression of the lever,substantially as herein specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, at Berlin, GermanEmpire, this 19th day of September, 1891, in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

' HUGO GERIKE.

Witnesses:

QARL GRONERT, CHARLES R. SEARLE.

